Highway Patrol Car of the Future

The 9th annual Los Angeles Auto Show Design Competition is calling auto and tech designers to build a car around a central theme: The Highway Patrol Car of the Future – 2025. Global manufacturer design studios compete while exploring new design boundaries for the auto industry. The winner will be presented on November 29th at the LA Auto Show Press Days, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The Way of the Future

As the economy changes and urban development progresses it is essential that all important aspects of society evolve with it—the guiding influence behind including law enforcement in this year’s design challenge. Industrial designers shape the world we live in, from commercial products to transportation, industrial designers create with the best interest of people in mind. The “protect and serve” duties of the highway patrol play a vital role in making life safer and it is important that the technologies used to promote protection and service parallel the technological advancements of society, so everything can move forward together.

“The future highway patrol vehicle will have to be designed with an entirely new set of considerations, including advanced powertrains, alternative fuels, telemetrics and new sizes to effectively navigate dynamic urban environments,” a statement expressed by LA Auto Shows in a PR Newswire press release.

Creating the Concept

Car designers are seeing more and more advancements in 3D technology to help create the concept car of tomorrow. Web design is a bursting frontier that designers have tapped into for some time, but with newer trends, such as 3D printing, auto designs are getting more in depth. i.materialise, an industry leading tech firm is proving just that. The company took 3D renderings of a car used in the video game “Grand Turismo 5” to create the interior for their resin-made Citroen. Complete with copper touches, nickel and other materials, the 3D rendering wowed audiences at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. With the ever-evolving world of digital production, concept cars are becoming more realistic in their capabilities, both technical and in design.

Rules & Regulations

Auto manufacturers from around the globe, including Bentley, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai and Subaru, have agreed to the challenge. Participants will be judged on “various factors including: consideration of future needs for advanced technology, speed and agility on future freeway systems; creativity of the solution; meeting a specific region’s emission standards; and environmental sensitivity, including maintenance and recyclability,” according to the PR Newswire press release.

Stewart Reed, chair of Transportation Design at Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design

Tom Matano, executive director for Academy of Art and industrial design expert in San Francisco

Imre Molnar, provost and chief academic officer at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies

The Design Challenge is sponsored by Yokohama Tire, Faurecia, Dassault Systemes, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) and Lacks Enterprises.

“One of the most difficult, yet important, tasks in design is looking into the future to envision and create the trends and tools that haven’t been imagined,” Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy, Inc., told the New Jersey Herald. “Adding the element of law enforcement to this year’s competition creates another layer of importance that makes a challenge equal to the level of our participants.”

Apart from the design challenge, the LA Auto Show is the automotive industry’s showcase for new automobiles and transportation technology. Industry leaders from over 50 countries like Bentley, Acura and Fiat debut their latest makes, models and technologies. Open to the press and public separately, attendees can enjoy manufacturer test drives and celebrity guest appearances like NBA star Blake Griffin. Participants in the event can discover and purchase anything auto at the event in the Tuners and Aftermarket.

Pete Phelps writes about the entertainment scene on the West Coast. As an LA native, he's equally frustrated with and thrilled by the growth he sees in LA. You can follow him through the buttons below. View all posts by Pete Phelps →

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